Counter mechanism for can covers



Sept. 12, 1950 F. HUNTAR 2,521,724

COUNTER MECHANISM FOR CAN COVERS Filed Sept. 25, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR SWM ,0,

ATTORNEY Sept 12, 1950 F. HUNTAR COUNTER MECHANISM FOR CAN COVERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25, 1946 ATTO R'NEY V Sept. 12, 1950 F. HUNTAR COUNTER MECHANISM FOR CAN COVERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 25, 1946 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY! Patented Sept. 12, 1950 COUNTER MECHANISM FOR COVERS FelixHuntar, Livingston, N.vJ;,-assignor to American CanConipany, New York N, ,Ya,'a.-'(i01'l)0- ration of New Jersey Application September 25, '1946;Serial -N 6. 699,128

1 The present invention relates to a continuous operation counter -m'echanism for can making machinery and has particular reference to devices-for interrupting'the operation of' such a mechanism when an article is missed and is not to be counted.

Ari-object of the invention is the provision of a counter mechanism wherein continuous counting of articles fed in consecutive ordermaybe "obtained so asto minimize wear'and-tear-"on' the "mechanism through rapid starting and st'opping or otherwisetripping the mechanism.

H Anotherobject is the provision of such a counter mechanism wherein the continuous operationof themechanism may be rapidly andaccurately interrupted to prevent the counting of any articles which may be skipped or missed.

' Another object is the provision of sucha counter mechanism whereininterruption of the continuous operation ofthe mechanism effected in time with the feeding ofthe articles so asto insure accuracy of the count. Numerous other objects and advantagesof the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which,*taken 'in connection with the accompanying-drawings,

discloses a preferredembodiment' thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top planview of a feedingdevice and a countermechanism embodyingthe'instant invention; with'parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is aside view of the mechanism shown "in Fig. 1;with parts-broke'n bacl and' shownin t 1 U Fig; -3-is an elevational detail of the-mechanism;

grand l --Fig.- 4 is a plan VieWin-d-iagrani of one form of machine inwhich the counter mechani'srn of the present invention can be used. i

' -'As a preferred-embodiment of 'the instant invention the drawings illustrate a counter mechanism for counting can covers or end members -A (Figs. "1 and 2):aslthey 'are fed from alicover feeding device which may; be a portion ofxa more 4.1 elaboratelcanmaking machine. 1

FFhe covers A are 'fed -from the bottomofi a isupply stack of such: covers retained in aimagaa zineul I. *Thea'magazineiis provided with a zslig htly l inclinedzstack support [2: secured to: a frame 43 which may be the main frame; dfcthe zcansmak- I 4 Claims. (o1.,235- 9s) 2 I ring machine to which the cover feeding' device is v --'attaclied. t

The lowerniost cover A in the supply stack is i=:disposed cver an;opening [S in the frame l3. 5 l lhe edge of this lowermost cover, adjacent "the -"stack support l2, rests-on a ledge l6 formedon the stack support.v Opposite the: stack support, the-edge ofthe cover issupported on a peripheral bead l8 of an annular continuously rotatihgsepowaratorrdisk l9; Thi's disk is secured to theupper face of 'a-separator screw 2 l havinga spiral groove 1 22 cutfrinto its outer surface. The upper or entranceend of -the groove is adjacent the separa- Y-tor diski l9 and it"communicates with a separa- -rtor-mot0h-23 formed in thevbead I8 andin'the eperipheral edge of the disk. 1

ai Ihe separator disk l9 and its separator screw 21 constitute a separator element for separating the lowermost cover A fromthe stack. This elezo ment is-mounted on a continuously rotating 'vertical separator driveshaft 26which is supported insuitablebearings formed in the frame [3. The shaft is' rotated in any-suitable manner intime with other moving parts of the machine. This is; a conventional cover separator device.

G In such adevice, rotation of the separator :element brings the separator notch 23 adjacent the inner supportededge'of-the cover Aandthus permits the cover to enter the-spiral-groove -fl. 30 With continued rotation of the separatorelement, I theedge of the coverrides down along 'the spiral groove and this separates the cove'rfrom the remainin'g covers in the stack; This separating ac- :tion also pivots the cover- =on the supper-sledge I51 into adownwardly and oppositely inclined po- 1 sition.-

this inclined "position theseparatedcodver A islin the path of travel of a -feed finger?! which is :mounted on and which rotates with the 40 drive shaft-26.- The rotating finger 21 engages behind the separated cover and propels it' along acurved :path of :travel to any suitable place of dep'osit,Xsuch','-'for example, as-ohtola waiting can rfor attachment' thereto. *Provisionis-made for 'nullify ing the "actioni iof r thei' cover separator element to'prevent the feeding: oft-a cover' from the 'supplystack undemocrtain conditions, as for example, when. there is -no can in placeeto; receive a cover. Withholding-of a:oover--fromseparation from the supply stack the. frame l3..

3 is brought about preferably by a normally stationary, annular slide or cut-out member 3| which rests on top of the separator disk |9 within its cover support bead l8.

Adjacent the cover magazine II, the cut-out member 3| is formed with a cut-out ledge 32 which is insertable under the edge of the lowermost cover in the supply stack when the cutout member moves toward the stack. The cutout member 3| surrounds the separator drive shaft 26 and for this purpose it is provided with a clearance opening 33., This clearance opening permits sliding of the cut-out'member across the top of the separator disk l9.

Shifting of the cut-out member 3| is effected The outer end of the arm is connected to a shift lever Thus as long as covers A continue to be separated from their supply stack, the separator drive shaft 26, through its slip clutch dogs 41, 48 continuously rotates the worm 45 and worm wheel 44 and thus keeps the counter 4| operating continuously. For every cover A fed from its magazine II, the separator drive shaft 26 and hence the worm 45 makes one complete revolution. However, in order to reduce wear on the mechanism to a minimum, the counter 4| is provided with an internal speed reducer device, to count ,the fed covers only in groups of ten. Hence for every ten revolutions of the worm45, the counter through its meshing worm wheel 44 will count one group of the covers.

When a cover A is prevented from being separated fromits stack and thus prevented from the counter is interrupted to prevent the counting device has been successfully used is by selective engagement with one or the other of a pair of projections which extend out from the lever and which are utilized by a trip mechanism *opi erated by cans passing through the machine for the reception of the covers being counted. This When the shift lever 38 is rocked to slide the.

cut-out member 3| into non-feeding position, the ledge 32 moves into a position adjacent the separator disk bead Hi where it engages under the edge of the lowermost cover A being supported by the bead. .Hence when the separator notch 23 comes adjacent the stack of covers, the cut- 1 out ledge 32 holds thGIIDWBImOSt cover in position in the stack and. thereby prevents it from falling into the notch. Thus the cover ispre- -.vented from being separated from the stack and this prevents feeding of a cover.

As longas the cut-out member 3|. is held in .,a retracted or feeding position, the covers A are separatedfrom the stack consecutivelyv and are fed forward in the same order. As they'are separated and fed. forward they are counted by a continuously operating counting mechanism -Which includes a commercial counter 4| carried on, a, bracket 42 bolted to an uprightportion of The counter 4| is driven by a counter shaft .43"

- having a worm vvwheel 44 mounted on its outer end. The ,worm wheel meshes with a worm 45 which is loosely carried on the upper end oil-the separator drive shaft 26. The worm normally rotates with the shaft through a friction or slip clutch connection therewith. For this latter purpose the lower and of the worm is provided with a pair of depending clutch dogs which normally engage against a similar pair of upw-ardly projectingclutch dogs 48 formed on a. clutch collar 49 slideably mounted on the separator drive shaft'26. The collar rotates withthe shaft through a pin 58 which is secured in the:

shaft. The ends of the pin.operate in slots of the skipped or missing cover or covers. This interruption in the count is effected by a stop .bar 55 which is disposed adjacentthe worm 45.

The stop bar 55 operates in a slideway formed in a stationary lug. 56 carried on the bracket 42.

,One end of. this bar is pivotallyconnectedto the upper end of the shiftleverjll. The opposite end of the bar is formed with a right anglehook section 5] which extends adiacentthepath of travel of a stop lug 58 formed on therotating worm adjacent its lower end. 3'

Under normal operation, when the cut-out member 3| is in cover feeding positionv (in Figs. 1 and 2) the stop lug 58 as it rotates with the worm 45 clears the hook end 51 of th stop bar 55. Thispermits continuous counting of the fed covers A. ,When a cover is missed, as by the shifting of the lever 38 and the attached cut-out member-3|, the lever also slides the stop bar toward the rightas viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 and thus interposes its hook end 51 into the path of 7 travel of the stop big 58 on the worm 45. Hence the lug engages against the stop bar and thus the worm is stopped from rotating. Stopping of the worm puts astrain on the slip clutch and causes the clutch dogs, to rideover the stopped clutchdogs 41- againstthe, resistance of the spring .52 This slip clutch actiQ permits the worm to remain stopped whiler the separator drive shaft 26 continuestorotate. I a

The worm 45 is held stopped forone complete revolution of the separatori'drive shaft 25 and thus counting ofthe missed cover is prevented. soon as, the, shift lever "again moves the a t-b t member ,3 l I i e d n s t o t again permit feeding of the covers, the stop bar zis re- :rmoved -from the path of travel ofthestop lug 58 on the worm. The meshing worm wheel locks the worm. against rotation ,with the separator *-.drlve shaft 25 until the clutchi dogs 48 again become engagedwith; the clutch dogs 41.; In this manner, therotation ofthe worm is kept-in synchronism with the rotation of the separator drive sh ft.-

:Mention has alreadyibeengmade of :the trip :mechanism'operatedby a-';can.;:,. Such a trip mechanism places :thershift .lever 38, and with: it

; the cuteout member;3| in cover feeding position 'whenacan-tpasses theactuating part of the trip in asstralghtilinei zbyl spaced;.parallelxguidei rails Hill. In one section of this runway on one side there is disposeda-feeler;IHI.constituting a can actuated part of the trip mechanism. Feeler I I4- when'engaged by the can moves the shift lever sa nt the position showniriFigfZ. This is fthe cover feeding position of the cut-out me" r3I alreadydescribed. 'l lThel'connection' between thcfeeler I-I the 'shift'lever 38 is'made through link and" bell crank elementsrconnecting with a rod H9. The rod I I3,.,at the opposite enclconnects with a forked rocker-head. I23 (see also'Fig. ,2), which, ca rries a'pair of loose fingers I2I; The rocker head is mounted on a pivot shaft I22 (Fig. 4) which is carried in the frame of the machine. This connection between rocker head I20 and feeler H4 is for th purpose of moving the rocker head to position one of the pair of loose fingers |2l so as to make such a finger effective against one of the projections 43 on the shift lever 38. This makes it possible to move the latter in the desired direction.

Movement of the shift lever is made through the positive action of a continuously moving hammer I23 actuated by the cam 53. Hammer I23 is 'pivotally mounted at I23 on the frame of the machine and is formed with an arm I25 which carries a cam roller I23. This roller opcover be fed onthe next cycle and no count (be 'steredon'the counterifli'l. fl hought that the invention and vmany of itsattendantadvantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be 'appar ent that various changes maybe made in the being merely a pref for actuating sa'id" se arator means, withholding crates in a, peripheral groove 12? of the barrel cam 53. Rotation of the drive shaft 26 with the cam 53 causes pivoting of the hammer on its pivotal axis. Thus the hammer I23 swings toward the shift lever 38 for each rotation of the feed finger 21.

The hammer I23 is formed with an upper projection I28 and a lower projection I23 both on th right or forward surface of the hammer, as viewed in Fig. 2. When a can AA engages the feeler H4 (Fig. 4) the rocker head I20 lifts both fingers I2I into a raised position, this being the position shown in Fig. 2.

This positioning ofthe parts brings the upper finger above the hammer I23 and places the lower finger in between the lower projection I29. of the hammer and the lower projection 40 of the shift lever 38. When the hammer I23 moves on the following reciprocating stroke (toward the right as viewed in Fig. 2) it strikes against the lower interposed finger I2 I swinging it in a clockwise direction. This moving finger striking against the lower projection 43 of the shift lever 38 causes the lever to move in a counter-clockwise direction. This action withdraws the cutout ledge 32 of the cut-out member 3I from its withholding position and the cover A is separated from the magazine I I and is counted, as already fully described.

A spring I3I (Fig. 4) connecting with one end of the rod H9 and secured to a stationary part of the frame swings the feeler H4 of the trip mechanism back into the can runway when an advancing can passes and releases the feeler. This moves the connecting parts into different positions, thus lowering the rocker head I20. When the rocker head I20 is in lowered position the lower finger I29 of th head is below the hammer projection I29 and below the lower projection 40 of the shift lever 38.

' Upon the succeeding stroke of the hammer I23, its upper projection I28 strikes the upper rocker head finger I2I moving it against the upper projection 40 of the shift lever 38 thereby swinging the lever in a clockwise direction and inserting the cut-out ledge 32 of the cut-out member 3| into cover withholding position. Therefore no means having movement into articlewi'thholding position for nullifying the article separating action of said separator means, shifting means connected with said withholding means for moving it into its withholding position, a counter disposed adjacent said separator means, counter driving means interposed between said drive shaft and said counter for operating the counter, and

means connected with said shifting means for preventing operation of said counter driving means when said withholding means is in said withholding position to stop the count.

2. In a counter mechanism, the combination of continuously rotating separator means for engaging and separating can coversfrom a stack of covers, a drive shaft for rotating said separator means, withholding means having movement into cover withholding position for nullifying the separating action of said separator means,

shifting means connected with said withholding means for moving it toward said stack of covers into its withholding position, a counter disposed adjacent said separator means, counter driving means interposed between said drive shaft and said counter for operating the counter, and means connected with said shifting means for preventing operation of said counter driving means and the counter operated thereby when said withholding means is moved into its withholding position by said shifting means. I

3. In a counter mechanism, the combination of continuously operating separator means for engaging and separating articles, a drive shaft for said separator means, withholding means adjacent said separator means and having movement into article withholding position for preventing separation of the articles, means for moving said withholding means, a counter disposed adjacent said separator means for counting the operative cycles of said separator means, counter driving means having a part loosely mounted on said drive shaft, a slip clutch disposed between said counter driving means and said drive shaft for normally actuating said counter driving means, and stop means movable by said withholding moving means for disconnecting said counter driving means from said drive shaft by breaking the operating connection in said slip clutch.

4. In a counter mechanism, the combination of continuously rotating separator means for engaging and separating can covers from a stack of covers, a drive shaft for said separator means, withholding means slidably mounted above said separator means and having a cut-out ledge movable under the lowermost cover in the stack to said lowermost cover.

FELIX HUNTAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 file of this patent:

Number UNITED-STATES PATENTS I Wei?! Picken ;;1'Sept. 1,1908

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany" Nov; 19, 1928' 

